Improvement in lamp-extinguishers



RICHARDSON & WARD.

Lamp Extinguisher.

Patented April 3, 1866.

- lf/T/YES UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WM. A. RICHARDSON AND HENRY D. WARD, OF WORCESTER, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMP-EXTINGUISI- IERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,679. dated April 3,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. RICHARD- soN and HENRY D. WARD, ofWorcester, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Extinguishers for Lamps and wedo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan or topview of an extinguisher applied to the burner of a common kerosene-lamp,that portion of the burner which holds the chimney being represented asturned over to one side in order to more fully expose the extinguisherto view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the part that sustains the chimneybeing in the same position as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section inthe line as w of Fig. 1, representing the upper part of the burner andchimney-base in their operative position. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionin the line 3 g of Fig. 1. Figs.5 and 6 are detached views of portionsof the appliances used to operate the extinguisher and keep itin properposition.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both drawings.

This invention is designed to be attached to the burners of kerosene andother lamps of similar construction for the purpose of extinguishin gthe flame thereof, when desired, without the liability to explosionwhich often occurs when the flame is extinguished by a current of air,and to obviate the escape of gas or smoke from the burner when the flameis extinguished, and also to render the lamp capable of being moved orcarried about with much greater safety than the chimney-lamps heretoforein use, and to promote the brilliancy and steadiness of the flame byproducing an equal and regular draft of air to both sides thereof.

The invention consists in two concave wings, applied one at each side ofthe wick-tube, in such a manner as to inclose and cover the top of thewick when the flame is extinguished, and to spread apart, not only topermit the flame to burn, but also to produce a regular draft of air toeach side thereof.

It also consists in certain appliances by which the said wings areoperated and retained in proper position, either when the flame isburning or extinguished.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand the construction andoperation of my invention, I will proceed to describe it with referenceto the drawings.

The burner represented is of ordinary construction, a being theperforated lowerportion or frame thereof, and I) the upper part, whichsupports the chimney and is provided with the cone 1).

m is the wick-tube, through which passes the wick, which is raised andlowered by the small notched wheels at on the shaft h,- and d is thebase, which supports the parts just mentioned, and has its lower endscrewed into the body of the lamp.

The extinguisher, which is applicable to any kind of burner, isconstructed and applied as follows Secured at their lower ends, one uponeach side of the wick-tube m, and just above the base 61, are two wings,1', which may be made of sheet metal, and the upper ends of which arewider than their main length, and have their edges curved inward so asto form a concave surface on the side of each next to the wick-tube m.These concave upper ends of the wings r extend a short distance abovethe upper end of the wick-tube, so that when they are brought in contactwith each other they will cover the top of the said tube, forming alittle chamber or space above the same, as shown in Fig. 4. That portionof the wings 1 below their concave upper ends may be made flat and aresomewhat elastic.

The wings r are set at a slight angle to each other, so that when thesaid concave ends are not pressed together they will spring apart, asshown in Fig. l, and uncover the top of the wick-tube, and be held inproper position to promote the draft of air to the flame equally uponeach side thereof, thus increasing the brilliancy and steadiness of thesame.

Extending across the lower part or frame, a, of the burner, and passingthrough suitable holes in the vertical edges thereof, are two smallshafts or rods, o, one at each side of the wick-tube, and parallel withthe said sides. The central portion of each of these shafts a is bentinto a bow, 8. These bows 8 project upward on the outer sides of thewings r, and serve to press them together, as will be presentlyexplained.

The ends of the shafts a project out at one side of the burner, and areturned up into a vertical position, thus forming upright arms 0 and c.

The arm 0 has upon it a small catch, to, provided with a notch 011 itsunder side, which catches upon the top of the other arm, a, when the twoarms are made to approach each other, and holds them together, asrepresented in Fig. 6. By thus pressing the arms a and 0 together thebows 8 press inward upon the wings r and cause them to come in contactwith each other, covering the top of the wicktube m and inclosing theupper end of the wick between them, thus extinguishing the flame. Byreleasing the arm a from the hold of the catch the elasticity of themain length of the wings 1" causes them to separate and uncover thewick, which may then be ignited and allowed to burn, the arms 0 and 0occupying the position shown in Fig. 5.

As the wings 1, when the flame is burning, are situated but a littledistance from the 4 lower portion of the same, they, from their in ameasure, to protect the flame from the action of sudden currents of airpassing through the sides of the burner, and thus render the lamp muchsafer when moved or carried about than ordinary lamps.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The two wings a", combined and arranged in relation with each otherand with the wicktube of the lamp substantially as herein set forth, forthe purpose specified.

2. The elastic construction of the lower parts of the said wings "r, forthe purpose of holding them apart, substantially as described, until theflame is to be extinguished. v

3, The combination of the shafts to, arms 0 and c, and elastic wings r,substantially as herein set forth, for the purpose specified.

4. The catch 20, in combination with the arms 0 and c and wings r,substantially as herein set forth, for the purpose specified.

WM. A. RICHARDSON. HENRY D. WARD. Witnesses:

O. H. BALLARD, M. M. PLITMMER.

